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$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
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,,,,,,,:=^ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ AND A GIFT SHOP. ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE @£$^=:,,,,
,,,:=^$£@# CONSIDERED POOR. #@£$^=:,,,
,,:=^$£@## ##@£$^=:,,
,:=^$£@### THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ###@£$^=:,
,,:=^$£@## DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ##@£$^=:,,
,,,:=^$£@# YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, #@£$^=:,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. @£$^=:,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= SOME ARE SHATTERED. =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ $$ £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ $$ $$ @£$^=:,,,,
,,,:=^$£@# ======= $ $ ======= #@£$^=:,,,
,,:=^$£@## $$ $$ ##@£$^=:,,
,:=^$£@### $$ ###@£$^=:,
,,:=^$£@## ##@£$^=:,,
,,,:=^$£@# I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE #@£$^=:,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS @£$^=:,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS @£$^=:,,,,
,,,:=^$£@# OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. #@£$^=:,,,
,,:=^$£@## ##@£$^=:,,
,:=^$£@### THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ###@£$^=:,
,,:=^$£@## HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ##@£$^=:,,
,,,:=^$£@# LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND #@£$^=:,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST @£$^=:,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: LIT FROM BEHIND. :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ @£$^=:,,,,
,,,:=^$£@# $$ #@£$^=:,,,
,,:=^$£@## $$ $$ ##@£$^=:,,
,:=^$£@### ======= $ $ ======= ###@£$^=:,
,,:=^$£@## $$ $$ ##@£$^=:,,
,,,:=^$£@# $$ #@£$^=:,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ @£$^=:,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS @£$^=:,,,,
,,,:=^$£@# SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING #@£$^=:,,,
,,:=^$£@## HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ##@£$^=:,,
,:=^$£@### SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ###@£$^=:,
,,:=^$£@## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##@£$^=:,,
,,,:=^$£@# IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL #@£$^=:,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE @£$^=:,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ FLOOR. $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO @£$^=:,,,,
,,,:=^$£@# KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE #@£$^=:,,,
,,:=^$£@## LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ##@£$^=:,,
,:=^$£@### WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ###@£$^=:,
,,:=^$£@## PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ##@£$^=:,,
,,,:=^$£@# HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. #@£$^=:,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. @£$^=:,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= $$ =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ $$ $$ ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ ======= $ $ ======= $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ $$ $$ £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ $$ @£$^=:,,,,
,,,:=^$£@# #@£$^=:,,,
,,:=^$£@## A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ##@£$^=:,,
,:=^$£@### AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ###@£$^=:,
,,:=^$£@## BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ##@£$^=:,,
,,,:=^$£@# STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, #@£$^=:,,,
,,,,:=^$£@ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST @£$^=:,,,,
,,,,,:=^$£ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, £$^=:,,,,,
,,,,,,:=^$ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, $^=:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ^=:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:= =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:=^ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ^=:,,,,,,,
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